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Manchester United are reportedly set to play two friendlies during their trip to Asia, immediately after the 2024/25 Premier League season comes to a halt at the end of May.
At the end of last term, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle both jetted to Australia for an end-of-season friendly.
The decision drew widespread criticism, with legendary striker Alan Shearer describing it as “madness,” amidst increasing concerns over player workload and a surge in injuries.
Shearer also said, “Can you imagine if you’re a player who is playing in either the Copa America or Euro 2024 having to do that? Madness.”
“Crazy. I wouldn’t be happy at all. It’s crazy for Newcastle to go and play Spurs there on Wednesday night and then another game.”
However, according to Simon Stone of BBC, United are set to become the latest top-flight English side to make a post-season trip overseas.
A previous report covered by The Peoples Person relayed that the trip could net the club around £10m.
Now, Stone states that the Red Devils are poised to play two matches in Malaysia and Hong Kong following their final Premier League match of the campaign against Aston Villa on Sunday, May 25.
Stone adds, “While nothing is signed off yet, it is almost certain United will head to the Far East for two fixtures against opposition yet to be agreed.”
“There is a window of a week between the last match against Aston Villa on 25 May and the Champions League final on 31 May, after which players have to be released for international duty.”
“United have a massive fan base in Malaysia and Malaysia Airlines is the club’s official commercial airline partner. However, they last played in the country in 2009, while they last went to Hong Kong in 2013.”
This decision comes just days after United confirmed they will make hundreds of more staff redundancies in a bid to return the club to profitability.
United have posted losses of more than £300million over the past five years despite generating record revenues and the hierarchy led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been scrambling to find ways to generate more income.
As Stone points out, playing matches abroad is one way of doing this. In his press conference ahead of Wednesday’s meeting with Ipswich Town, Ruben Amorim admitted that he and his players are partly to blame for the club’s off-the-pitch woes.
After the Asia trip, Amorim’s squad will have a short break before heading to the United States for their pre-season tour ahead of the 2025/26 season.
Featured image Alex Livesey via Getty Images
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